Sanitary package



April 27, 1954 R. wHl'rEFooT, JR

SANITARY PACKAGE Filed June 22, 1950 INVENTOR. Rob er'' w77 1'7/'6 760 O+, (fr, BY

Clorngy Patented Apr. 27,N 1954 UNITED STATES PATENTl OFFICE 2,676,702 :SAITARY PACKAGE Robert Whitefoot, Jr., Baltimore, Md. Application June 22, 1950, Serial N0. 169,645

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to an expendable sanitary package.

The general purpose of this invention is to provide an expendable package in the form of a porous flexible material made in the shape of an envelope which shall be capable of being readily opened after the contents have been sealed therein without contaminating the surfaces over which the contents are moved. In carrying out the invention, there is provided an envelope made from a single sheet of material of the proper dimensions in which the contents are sealed with a cohesive glue or gum. 'Ihe envelope is so constructed as to alloWrit to be opened in such a manner that the contents will rest upon the single opened sheet and may be removed from the sheet without being moved over any part of the envelope that has been touched by hands.

The primary object of the invention is to providean expendable sanitary package in which bandages,k instruments, gloves, or other objects may be sealed and sterilized in a steam bath for temporary storage purposes for use in hospitals, inrmaries, or other needed places, for use in surgical operations, and the treatment of patients where it is of primary importance that the articles be free from foreign bacteria.

Another object of the invention is to provide a material from which the envelope, or container, is made that will be sufficiently porous to allow for the sterilization of the articles carried therein, but of close enough texture as to prevent the passage of bacteria therethrough after the sterilization process and during the storage period.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a sealing glue or gum of a cohesive nature in order that it will adhere only to itself and will not break down under the heat required for j sterilization and yet be of such tackiness as to be separated by a predetermined stress applied adjacent the sealed edges of the envelope without tearing the material from which the envelope is made.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package of this nature in which the package may be opened to form a flat sheet without touching any part of the enclosed surface over which the enclosed articles have to be moved.

While several objects have been specically pointed out, other objects, uses, and advantages will become apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed consisting of the novel construction and the arrangement of its several folded portions shown in the accompany- (Cl. 20G-63.2)

ing drawings and described in the following de'- tail description, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of another form of the invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of still another form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the package as shown in Figure 1 after it has been opened showing the location of the sterilized objects carried therein. v

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 5--5 of Figui-e1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken alongV the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 'l-l of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 8-8 of Figure l.

Describing the invention in detail, the container, or package, is indicated at l5. Referring to Figure' l, the sealed package is broken away to show several surgical Sponges I6 carried therein. The packages are shown made from a folded single sheet of porous material. However, the package may be made from two pieces if desirable.

In sealing the packages, `a cohesive glue, or gum, I8 is used, and is of a character that when first applied to the paper it will adhere thereto, but after it sets it will thereafter adhere only to itself. This glue is placed around the peripheral edge of one surface of the folded sheet as indicated at I8. The package is preferably made from a single sheet of porous paper, or other suitable material. In Figure 1, the upper edges |5-a and I5-b of the side portions are folded outwardly and downwardly for a short distance and are permanently glued to the side portions adjacent its ends as indicated at 20 and 20. This leaves the principal part of the turned down portions I5-a and |5-b open in order that the lingers of the user may be inserted under the edges of the flaps, or portions, I5-a and I5-b, whereby the package may be opened by pulling in opposite directions on the two flaps IS-a and |5-b for separating the glued surfaces and opening the package to a flat position as shown in Figure 4.

In Figure 2, the package is of substantially the same structure except instead of the naps l-a and I 5b, the upper side members may have formed integral therewith tabs IE-c and I 5d which are normally carried nat against the sides perspective view of of the package, as shown in full lines, until time to open the package when they are extended outwardly as shown by the dotted lines in order to have means for exerting the pull for opening the package.

Figure 3 illustrates still another modification in which the cohesive is extended diagonally across one end adjacent the top as shown at Iii-a, which permits the side portions of the package to be bent outwardly as shown by the dotted lines to form tabs IB-e and l'-f whereby the tabs may be used to spread the gummed seams of the package and open the same, as previously described for Figure 1.

In use, the packages are usually furnished in blank or in at form as shown in Figure 4. The blank is folded as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3. For illustration purposes, the package is shown carrying a surgical dressing I6, but it may be used to carry many other items which are adaptable to be placed in suchv a package for sterilization and stored for use at some future time. The blank is folded and sealed by the cohesive glue or gum. This gumVas previously stated, will only stick to itself after it has been applied to the edge of the blank and gone through a partial curing state. The tackiness of the glue or gum is Such that it will separate along its contacting surfaces before it will separate from the package or tear the material when stress is put on the outwardly turned edges or tabs for opening the package. The gum is also of a nature as to not break down or lose its tackiness during the ster ilizing process.

The packages may be stored away after the sterilization of the articles for future use without danger of subsequent contamination.

The packages are shown in rectangular form, but it may take any desired shape best suited for the articles carried by the package, or for other advantages such as storage handling, etc.

By having the package sealed with a cohesive glue, or gum, which Will only adhere to itself and with such tackiness as to be parted without tearing the material from which the package is made by exerting a pull on the out-turned portions or tabs outside the enclosed area, the package may be easily opened and in such a manner that the bandage, or articles, will not be in contact with any portion of the package which has been handled with `the hands or an opening instrument. In order to guard against any leakage between the two glued surfaces, it has been found that the width of the glue or gummed strip should not be less than approximately one-half inch.

While the invention has been described in its preferred form, other modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof, and the scope of the invention will be best defined in the appending claim.

I claim:

A package constructed of a single pliable porous sheet member being folded along a line adjacent its center and folded back upon itself to form a pair of side members enclosing surgical material, a small portion of the upper ends of each of the side members opposite 'the said fold being bent outwardly and downwardly over the outside surface of the side member to form a means for normally gripping the end side members. along the upper edge of the package, the lateral edges only of the turned-down portions being ixedly glued to the outer surfaces of their .respective side wall members, the opposed faces of the lateral and top edges of the folded sheet being held together by a continuous strip of cohesive glue of such tackiness as to allowthe side wall members to be separated throughout and Without the tearing of the sheet and unfolding said sheet to hat condition and thereby exposing the contents therein.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,030,135 Carpenter Feb. 11, 1936 2,063,999 Harrison Dec. 15, 1936 2,263,191 Saladin et al Nov. 18, 1941 2,305,402 Avery et al Dec. 15, 1942 2,313,512 Brewer Mar. 9, 1943 2,484,749 Saliisberg Oct. 11, 1949 2,565,336 Adler Aug. 21, 1951 

